


Dance for Me

by vix_spes



Series: Fan Flashworks Challenges [25]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballet, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 05:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5615530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bard muses on the roles that he and Thranduil have taken in their careers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance for Me

**Author's Note:**

> This loosely follows on from [Pas de Deux](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4118932) but they should work as standalones

Bard slipped into the backstage area, nodding at a few other familiar faces from other companies as he moved towards the wings and the stage itself. Ahead of him, he caught sight of a white-gold braid that he knew as well as if it was his own, and headed towards the practise bar that Thranduil had clearly claimed for himself only for Thranduil to finish off his warm-up and move away before Bard could reach him.

Not frustrated in the slightest, Bard couldn't help but smile as the music that had haunted his every waking minute for months started and Thranduil moved out onto the stage to take his starting position. Taking up a position in the wings where he wouldn't be in anyone's way, Bard settled in to watch. And, as usual, Bard found it hard to tear his eyes away from his partner. It didn't matter that they'd been together for the better part of twenty years now, Bard still found Thranduil as enthralling as he had when they were teenagers.

Sometimes, Bard couldn't help but be amazed that the two of them were still together now having got together at the age of eighteen. But, then again, it worked with both of them being dancers. No-one outside of their world would understand the life, the way that dancing took over everything, the way that dancing was top priority rather than their relationship. They understood that, they understood each other and, well, they just worked.

The loud noise of something being dropped backstage brought Bard back from his thoughts and redirected his focus to Thranduil.

It didn't matter that this was just a rehearsal. It didn't matter that Thranduil was in tights that had been darned over and over again, his leg warmers were mismatched or that he was in a t-shirt that didn't quite fit right – undoubtedly because Bard was certain that it was actually one of his. It didn't matter that, for the moment at least, the Arena di Verona was empty with the exception of a handful of other dancers, various stage hands and, of course, the orchestra. Thranduil still gave the piece his absolute everything.

Bard was vaguely aware that people all around the arena were stopping to watch Thranduil's rehearsal but, as proud as he was, he ignored them, trying to focus on Thranduil's performance as a choreographer rather than just an audience member, as a creator rather than Thranduil's partner.

It wasn't easy to be impartial though.

Bard had created this piece for Thranduil. After seven years in class together at the Royal Ballet School followed by a decade together in the Royal Ballet Company, dancing together in daily class and numerous productions not to mention living together, Bard knew what suited Thranduil best. Thranduil, unsurprisingly, had spent the briefest amount of time in the corps before making a rapid ascension through the ranks until he was made principal after a scant few years in the company. Bard, in contrast, did his time in the corps before before promoted to first artist then soloist before becoming a first soloist a few years ago.

Bard was under no illusions. He was never going to make it into the ranks of the elite, never going to be a soloist with the company, and that didn't bother him. He was never going to be the great name that Thranduil was, travelling the world to appear in galas and as a guest artist with the world's best ballet companies. He was more than happy where he was. He had danced all of the principal male roles in the great classical ballets receiving good reviews for all of them and had even had several roles (and, on one notable occasion, an entire piece) created on him. Besides, being a soloist gave him a little more freedom to explore other aspects of dance, namely choreography.

As much as he enjoyed dancing – and he really did - it was as a choreographer that Bard felt as though he were truly in his element. He loved finding pieces of music and fitting steps to them or creating new combinations of steps and finding the music that simply let them flow. He loved how he could just listen to a piece of music and let it carry him away, his body just moving with the music, his feet doing what felt right.

Just as Thranduil was in his element on the stage in front of the audiences, Bard was in his creating the very steps that Thranduil danced.

The perfect combination.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/230607.html)


End file.
